Flooding at San Marco (St. Mark’s) Square.

Venice – An Off-Season Trip to the Floating City

BY RICHARD STEARNS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRAHAM PALMER

I discovered Venice for the first time many years ago. Just as Carnevale was ending, I remember going to St. Mark’s Square for the first time. There were still people wandering through the streets with their magnificent 18th Century costumes and masks. It was early evening and there was a light rain falling steadily. The square was all lit up, and the waiters at the outdoor Café Florian (opened in 1720, and the oldest café in the world) were standing under the columns trying to keep dry. Even with few customers, the orchestra kept playing. A woman standing next to me was swaying in time to the music. On an impulse, I asked her if she would like to dance. She agreed and we both walked out into the middle of the square. The two of us danced in the rain, and it was a magical moment in time. Right then and there, I fell in love with this grand and magnificent city. Once we were done, the orchestra gave a flourish, and the people standing around applauded. That moment will never be forgotten. Every time I return to Venice it rushes back from my memories.

Over the years, Venice has become far too crowded to truly enjoy the city in season the way it was. So, I thought the perfect time to go would be during the off-season. I arrived at the end of October expecting cool weather and few tourists.

What I got was massive flooding throughout Venice due to a storm front that engulfed Northern Italy. The water levels during high tide were pushed into the city by the storm and parts of Venice were flooded to a height of five feet. The salt water got into St. Mark’s Cathedral (built in the 11th Century). Experts say that the cathedral aged 20 years in one day due to the water incursion.

Flooding at San Marco (St. Mark’s) Square.

When I landed in Venice I took a water taxi from the airport to the hotel. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. As I arrived water was lapping over the sea walls onto the sidewalks, but the inside of the hotel was dry. Thank goodness! The Danieli, an elegant old palace that was built at the end of the 14th Century and later converted to a hotel, was beautiful and tranquil compared to the chaotic weather outside. The lobby with its four-story staircase and giant chandeliers made of Murano glass shining and glistening throughout is worth the trip. I settled in with a sweeping penthouse view of the rising lagoon, bobbing rows of gondoliers, and a chilled bottle of Italian Prosecco.

As I walked the short distance from the hotel to St. Mark’s Square, the high tide was already up to the very edge of the Doge’s Palace. The Square itself was covered in water! Elevated wooden sidewalks had been placed so that people could get around without having to wade through the water. However, it appeared that the business owners of Venice had adapted to the rising tides. Everything I could see remained open. All the employees were wearing waders, and whether it was a restaurant, jewelry store, or a gallery, customers continued to come and go as though absolutely nothing was amiss. There were even vendors who were selling waders to the tourists in a variety of colors – blue, yellow, green, red, etc.

Richard Stearns and Graham Palmer

I worked my way through the flooded areas and aimed for the renowned Harry’s Bar. It is home to the famous Bellini, first served in 1934. Harry’s legendary clientele, headed by novelist Ernest Hemingway, the man who put Harry’s Bar on the map, include Prince Philip, who was a regular before he married Queen Elizabeth, Somerset Maugham, A.J. Cronin, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Truman Capote, Noel Coward, the Windsor’s, Errol Flynn, Toscanini, Cole Porter, and the kings of Greece and Spain.

Orson Welles would send a driver over from where he was shooting a film in Yugoslavia. At 10 a.m., the driver would pick up 24 sandwiches and two bottles of champagne to take back across the border for Mr. Welles’ lunch.

Harry’s bar is very small and always filled. However, I had recently learned that there was a much larger portion that was frequented by the locals and celebrities. I asked the waiter if he could show me this. He agreed and took me through a doorway and up a set of stairs. He showed me another bar and an entire restaurant. It was much bigger up there than the small bar downstairs. I was ready to sit down for one of those famous drinks, and I looked at the menu.

When I saw that the cost of two Bellini’s was 44 Euros ($50 USD), I decided to pass and moved on to my next adventure.

The Trattoria Alla Rivetta Menu

One of my goals during this visit was to eat at a Venetian restaurant that wasn’t an “overpriced tourist hotspot.” I wanted to go to a place that the locals frequented. I spoke to the hotel’s concierge, and he immediately gave me the name of a restaurant. The Trattoria Alla Rivetta is a family-owned restaurant next to a canal (isn’t everything in Venice?) in one of the quieter areas of Venice. It is a local eatery and is a particular favorite of the gondoliers who stop there for their lunch every day. The concierge was happy to walk with me to the restaurant expertly avoiding the flooded streets and keeping our walk dry. Once we got there, she introduced me to the owner, Stefano, and explained my purpose. The owner escorted me to a very nice corner table and, at his suggestion, he began to bring dishes of food to the table. The first item to arrive was a cocktail called an Aperol Spritz.

APEROL SPRITZ
3oz Prosecco
2oz Aperol
1oz Soda Water
Orange slice, for garnish

It was a very refreshing and tasty drink made with orange liqueur and prosecco. Next, the waiter, Sergio, delivered a dish of baby soft shell crabs, caught fresh that morning. This was followed by a plate of gnocchi Bolognese (pictured above) and then some local langostinos (pictured below).

The waiter then brought a sea bass to the table and de-boned it right before my eyes (pictured below). Each dish was prepared perfectly. They were so delicious, and left me wanting more. I was enchanted by the charm of that restaurant and Sergio’s knowledge of the local cuisine. Its atmosphere was quiet compared to the hubbub of the crowds of tourists outside. The owner stood by the entrance and greeted the patrons as they came in the door. His son, Danieli, was the bartender and he was very happy while he prepared the drinks or opened bottles of wine. I sat back and took it all in. That, I thought to myself, was what dining should be. Finally, the waiter brought a dessert of homemade tiramisu, followed by a demitasse of bold Italian coffee. [Note: As in Spain, France, and Italy, coffee is always served after dessert. Coffee served with dessert is an American invention.]. The coffee was simply amazing. With my dinner finished, I reluctantly said goodbye and headed back to my hotel for the night where a Jacuzzi hot tub and a chilled bottle of prosecco were waiting.

As our time to board the cruise ship approached, I could only think about the experiences that I was forced to miss due to the storms and flooding. I had to cancel our trip to a Baroque Theater, where the cast of characters dressed and performed in 18th Century costumes to a concert of Vivaldi’s work. Also gone was my class on making an authentic Venetian Carnevale mask from a Master of the Craft. And lastly, I had scheduled some time to go to a chef’s home where he was going to show me how to make pasta from scratch—something in all my years, I’ve never done. This was to be followed by one of his wonderful homemade dinners.

However, this just gives me an excuse to return to Venice one more time in the very near future, and I can’t wait.